Sales
- Properties for Sale
- Guide To Buying
- Guide To Selling
- Renovating for Profit
- New Homes and Developments
- Tips For First Time Buyers
- Auctions
The rental market is a lot faster than buying and demand for good rental properties is high.
So that you don't miss out try to be the first to view and make sure you have the cost of administration fees ready in your account. Sign up to email alerts to keep ahead.
Be prepared is the key, know exactly what is important to you in a property and be willing and prepared to compromise on some things. Have a list of questions ready for the agent and if available on the viewing the current occupier. It can be really easy to forget during the viewing itself.
Another thing is if possible never go alone. Take someone with you or attend the viewing with a letting agent. As a rule HB Lettings attend all viewings anyway. At any rate safety must come first and you will have another pair of eyes to help. Also it’s not uncommon for the tenants to accidentally forget the potential additional costs of the utility costs. If you can, request to see the utility and council tax bills so you know what to expect. Ask if anything is included in the rent? If the current tenants are sharing, by all means ask to see how they split the bills.
H & B Lettings can help you find a new rental home! Our property search lets you search thousands of properties available to rent across Essex and Hertfordshire. Book a viewing through H & B Lettings Ltd.
In order to help tenants to establish a rough guideline of how much they can afford to rent the attached details explains how much you need to earning per annum in contrast to the rent. for example if the rental value of the property you wish apply for is £800 pcm then you will need to be earning £24,000 per annum, if there was two of you intending to move into the property then both your annual salaries combined would need to be in excess of £24,000 per annum. If a guarantor is required then they would need to be earning in excess of £28,800 per annum. You could if necessary have two guarantors with a combined annual income in excess of £28,800 per annum. It is always recommended to contact the office for clarification.
A lot of the time items stored under the kitchen or bathroom sink such as cleaning products, knock the pipes loose. A temporary solution for such a leak is to place a bucket under the leak until it can be repaired. If you can do this until we are able to attend, it will prevent damage from occurring to whatever is underneath the pipework.
It is good practice when loading the dishwasher to make sure all dishes are rinsed well. If you leave large pieces of waste on the dishes and put them into the dishwasher this can wear the pump out and cause the drain to back up. This can cause a lot of water to pour out onto the floor. If the leak persists, please contact the office immediately.
There are hot and cold pipes and shut off valves under the sink for every tap. It is important to keep this area clear of clutter. If a pipe is leaking, turn the stop cock and contact the office. If the stop cock itself is leaking, put a container under it and contact us immediately.
The biggest problems with baths and showers are hair clogs. Try to clean the drain area if you see hair building up to prevent a clog. If your showerhead has very little water coming out of it, you can unscrew it and clean out built up scale. If you notice any grouting that is black or deteriorating around the bath/shower area, please contact the office immediately.
The main concern is foreign objects getting stuck in the pipework. Do not flush and sanitary towels or large items down the toilet. If a blockage occurs because of this reason, the tenant will be charged for all costs to repair.
Dirt, not normal wear and tear is the single largest contributor of damage to carpets. Be sure to vacuum on a regular basis. If you do stain the carpet, please try to remove it as quickly as possible. The longer a stain stays with being cleaned the harder it will be to remove later on. Do not try to clean the carpet without testing a very small portion of your cleaning product on a small piece of the carpet to ensure that there will be no damage to the carpet. Never clean hardwood floors with cleaners you are not sure of, or if you have not been instructed on their proper care by the owner.
If you notice any stains forming on your ceiling or wall contact the office immediately. If a large leak occurs causing a bubbling effect in the ceiling, make a small hole in the bubble with a sharp knife and place a bucket under the leak immediately. Never hesitate in calling the office regarding any leaks in the property. We have a 24-hour emergency phone for these types of situations.
Please take these tips as a means of helping you maintain your property in good condition. This will also help to minimize repair costs and also reduce the time involved in getting them completed.